• Is it required
• Why now
• Don’t tell me (you can tell me which bank you are joining. I wont tell anyone)
• Oh, you dint have an MBA degree.
• Why give up a seven figure income to incur an equivalent seven figure expenditure
• Are you giving up ESOPs? The share price is going to touch 800.
• MBA degree does not guarantee success

I recall the famous line from Baazigar – that 12 year old movie which catapulted Sharukh Khan to stardom (I thought only I had aged. Even Sharukh did. He is 40. But his female fan line is only growing)

‘To win something, you need to give up something’
(a poor translation of “kuch pane keliye, kuch kona padta hain)

My reasons for an MBA degree

• Career is a marathon. I have run a quarter of the possible career length. Not three fourths. Good time to take a break and rediscover / rejuvenate.

• Have reached middle management. I am told by our HR head that about 91 % of the employees of our organisation are junior to the grade I am in. But without an MBA degree will I have the skills to run the “last mile”. MBA degree is to prepare for the last mile.

• Nothing like learning on the job. There are, however, certain skills/ concepts which cannot be learnt from the job I handle. These skills are essential to reach my career goal. An MBA and that too a full-time one will only serve my requirement.

• I have really not understood why an MBA degree is required in certain positions. But without MBA degree you are not short-listed. You cannot prove what you are if you are not short-listed. Credentials are important.

• Money – not too concerned. The companies I am targeting pay extremely well.

• One year format. Excellent faculty profile. Experienced students. Decent ROI.

• Will trade my job for the overall experience of a good b-school. Any day.

PS: An MBA degree is many things to many people. A b-school is many things to many people. It is important to find one’s own reasons.